Copyright © 2022, Los Angeles Times | | | | Advertisement Los Angeles County has paid out roughly $55 million in settlements in cases in which sheriff’s deputies have been alleged to belong to a secret society, records obtained by the Los Angeles Times show, illuminating the entrenched nature of a subculture that has plagued the Sheriff’s Department for years. The figure comes from a list that includes payouts in dozens of lawsuits and claims involving deputies associated with tattooed groups accused of glorifying an aggressive style of policing. The report, prepared by L.A. County...…Copyright © 2022, Los Angeles Times | | | | Advertisement Los Angeles County has paid out roughly $55 million in settlements in cases in which sheriff’s deputies have been alleged to belong to a secret society, records obtained by the Los Angeles Times show, illuminating the entrenched nature of a subculture that has plagued the Sheriff’s Department for years. The figure comes from a list that includes payouts in dozens of lawsuits and claims involving deputies associated with tattooed groups accused of glorifying an aggressive style of policing. The report, prepared by L.A. County...WW…

Copyright © 2022, Los Angeles Times | | | | Advertisement During a recent broadcast on Facebook, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva spent several minutes criticizing Supervisor Hilda Solis for her comments earlier that week on systemic brutality and racism by police toward people of color. He questioned whether she was trying to sow more distrust between law enforcement and the community and said she owed an apology to Sheriff’s Department employees and all law enforcement agencies throughout Los Angeles County.And then the sheriff turned more personal.“I don’t know,” he said on the...…Copyright © 2022, Los Angeles Times | | | | Advertisement During a recent broadcast on Facebook, Los Angeles County Sheriff Alex Villanueva spent several minutes criticizing Supervisor Hilda Solis for her comments earlier that week on systemic brutality and racism by police toward people of color. He questioned whether she was trying to sow more distrust between law enforcement and the community and said she owed an apology to Sheriff’s Department employees and all law enforcement agencies throughout Los Angeles County.And then the sheriff turned more personal.“I don’t know,” he said on the...WW…

Copyright © 2022, Los Angeles Times | | | | Advertisement The Los Angeles Times has against Los Angeles County, alleging that the Sheriff’s Department has repeatedly refused to turn over public records, including those about deputies involved in misconduct or shootings.The landmark undid decades of secrecy 18 months ago by opening up previously confidential records about law enforcement officers involved in shootings or other serious uses of force, as well as those who committed sexual assaults or acts of dishonesty. And yet, the lawsuit says, L.A. County “continues to withhold records” on...…Copyright © 2022, Los Angeles Times | | | | Advertisement The Los Angeles Times has against Los Angeles County, alleging that the Sheriff’s Department has repeatedly refused to turn over public records, including those about deputies involved in misconduct or shootings.The landmark undid decades of secrecy 18 months ago by opening up previously confidential records about law enforcement officers involved in shootings or other serious uses of force, as well as those who committed sexual assaults or acts of dishonesty. And yet, the lawsuit says, L.A. County “continues to withhold records” on...WW…

Copyright © 2022, Los Angeles Times | | | | Advertisement A week after a deputy shot and killed an 18-year-old man in Gardena, setting off heated demonstrations, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has yet to fully explain how the shooting occurred and has not interviewed the two patrol deputies involved. But details are emerging about the deputies, including earlier allegations faced by the officer who fatally shot Andres Guardado. Sources with knowledge of the case identified them to The Times as Deputies Miguel Vega, who opened fire, and Chris Hernandez, who did not shoot....…Copyright © 2022, Los Angeles Times | | | | Advertisement A week after a deputy shot and killed an 18-year-old man in Gardena, setting off heated demonstrations, the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department has yet to fully explain how the shooting occurred and has not interviewed the two patrol deputies involved. But details are emerging about the deputies, including earlier allegations faced by the officer who fatally shot Andres Guardado. Sources with knowledge of the case identified them to The Times as Deputies Miguel Vega, who opened fire, and Chris Hernandez, who did not shoot....WW…

Copyright © 2022, Los Angeles Times | | | | Advertisement Members of an oversight group expressed concern Friday after The Times reported that Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies shared graphic photos of the and eight others. The Times spoke with two public safety sources with knowledge of the events. One of the sources said that the sharing of photos of the crash scene and the victims’ remains was the topic of a discussion among first responders two days after the crash. The source said he saw one of the photos on the phone of another official, in a setting that had nothing to do with...…Copyright © 2022, Los Angeles Times | | | | Advertisement Members of an oversight group expressed concern Friday after The Times reported that Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies shared graphic photos of the and eight others. The Times spoke with two public safety sources with knowledge of the events. One of the sources said that the sharing of photos of the crash scene and the victims’ remains was the topic of a discussion among first responders two days after the crash. The source said he saw one of the photos on the phone of another official, in a setting that had nothing to do with...WW…

Copyright © 2022, Los Angeles Times | | | | Advertisement The Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission voted Thursday to subpoena L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva to appear at its next meeting to discuss his handling of the coronavirus outbreak in the jails, marking the first use of a powerful new oversight tool. “I think it’s outrageous that the sheriff isn’t here to answer questions about what’s going on in the jails,” said Commissioner Priscilla Ocen, who suggested that inmates are being housed in conditions that increase their vulnerability to contracting the virus.The unanimous vote...…Copyright © 2022, Los Angeles Times | | | | Advertisement The Sheriff Civilian Oversight Commission voted Thursday to subpoena L.A. County Sheriff Alex Villanueva to appear at its next meeting to discuss his handling of the coronavirus outbreak in the jails, marking the first use of a powerful new oversight tool. “I think it’s outrageous that the sheriff isn’t here to answer questions about what’s going on in the jails,” said Commissioner Priscilla Ocen, who suggested that inmates are being housed in conditions that increase their vulnerability to contracting the virus.The unanimous vote...WW…

Copyright © 2022, Los Angeles Times | | | | Advertisement Vanessa Bryant has filed a claim against the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department over of the scene of the helicopter crash that killed her husband, Kobe Bryant, their daughter and seven others. According to the claim filed Friday, Sheriff Alex Villanueva “personally assured her” that deputies were securing the crash site to ensure her privacy. “In reality, however, no fewer than eight sheriff’s deputies were at the scene snapping cell-phone photos of the dead children, parents, and coaches,” the claim, which is a precursor to a...…Copyright © 2022, Los Angeles Times | | | | Advertisement Vanessa Bryant has filed a claim against the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department over of the scene of the helicopter crash that killed her husband, Kobe Bryant, their daughter and seven others. According to the claim filed Friday, Sheriff Alex Villanueva “personally assured her” that deputies were securing the crash site to ensure her privacy. “In reality, however, no fewer than eight sheriff’s deputies were at the scene snapping cell-phone photos of the dead children, parents, and coaches,” the claim, which is a precursor to a...WW…